Sunday, March 21, 2010

Nutrition in Pregnancy: Diet for Pregnant & Nursing Mothers

"The heart of the baby beats by day 23; its brainwaves can be recorded at day 40; in the seventh week it begins sucking, touching its face, hiccupping, frowning and making various other spontaneous movements... At the eight week point, 4,000 body structures are present, out of the 4500 present in an adult..."

Isn't that amazing? So much is going on for this precious new life inside its mother's womb, beginning at conception, not in the fourth month or six month or at birth as many today would like you to think. I hope you took my dare from my last post and found a pregnant woman to thank. And don't forget to tell her how beautiful she is! Everything in our society and her head is telling her otherwise!

But now I must move to the original intent of this series: nutrition for pregnant mothers and nursing moms too!

With so much going on inside your body, optimal nutrition is imperative. This is not the time for counting calories, skipping meals, eating processed food or McDonald's. Your baby is depending on you for optimal nutrition during this incredible period of growth and development. Don't let them down! The choices you make now will have effects upon your child for their entire life.

For example, the right amount of omega- 3's increases your child's I.Q. for life.

Folic acid prevents neural tube defects such as spina bifida, and deformities of the mouth, face, and heart.